Repost to my Blog

A comment on my first entry begged yet another question: Why are most people so scared of change? The real question goes deeper than the originating thought, which was the age old question of contemporary language usages doing battle with modern interpretations and exactly how wide-spread must a "slang" usage be to become justified. I think in this case you'd be hard pressed these days to find people adhering to the antiquated definition, but I admire the fervor of those who try to keep the fight alive.

The question I ask is more about where the natural instinct to resist change itself comes from. From the fear of not following family beliefs, to the companies we work for keeping out-dated accounting ratios for the sake of it is what was done in the past, the instinct is undeniable. My question is where does it come from? Is it a survival instinct based on programming us not to stray from the pack? Is it merely a desire for the comfort of stability? Is it a way to condition females of the species to be more willing to put up with us males the way that we are instead of every marriage ending in failure?

Whatever it is, one could argue that it may be something that should evolve out of our species at some point. As a society, almost everything that we cherish and celebrate are aberrations from expectations. From revolutions to discoveries to athletes performing in ways you would never have expected just 20 years ago, it is the differences we celebrate in a world that forces us to conform. At some point something has to give, and you really have to wonder what that thing might be.

I know this was very glib and certainly devoid of anything resembling accuracy, so I'll just shut up and go back to studying for an exam I don't want to write, to keep a job in cubicle valley so I can make money to buy some things I don't really need.